Gareth Morgan, a rather weathly economist and investment manager, spent half a million dollars to get to the root of this "global warming hype" by hiring top scientists on both sides of the debate.

The result will be published in an upcoming book "Poles Apart," and announced in a high-profile free public event at Parliament in New Zealand on Tuesday, 19 May.

Here is some of what they say:

• "We've learned only just enough to know how little we know and the science on this whole thing is far from settled."
• "There are compelling theories, but the evidence has been less than unequivocal"
• "Neither side is above out-and-out mud-slinging ... professional egos and corporate agendas are getting in the way of scientific clarity"
• "Those working at the coal face of climate research seem to have little interest in engaging with even the most scientifically plausible of the sceptical arguments, prefering simply to shout that the argument's over."

And some of the results:

• Greenhouse gases have increased since 1750 because of human consumption of fossil fuels, trapping in the lower atmosphere heat otherwise destined to be re-radiated into space.
• The anthropogenic hypothesis is based on well-established principles of physics and chemistry. Greenhouse gases do absorb CO₂ and there are significant concentrations in the atmosphere.
• Climate is naturally changable, and has changed dramatically in the past without human causes.
• Global average sea temperatures have been rising. CO₂ levels have been rising. Historically, it appears there is a link between these two things.
• Significant global warming would likely have deleterious consequences for the human and natural worlds... the Earth is losing ice at an unprecedented rate... the world's oceans are warming, growing more saline, sea levels are rising and seawater is absorbing less CO₂... weather patterns are changing, with the tropics expanding, and belts of westerly winds in the high latitudes migrating polewards... the range of a number of species is chanigng, with a retreat to higher altitudes and latitudes of creatures adapted to cooler climes.
• The rate and scale of warming is a concern... unprecidented in the last 2000 years. We seem to be experiencing ice loss at present that the Earth hasn't experienced for 5000 years.
• Measurements of solar irradiance seem to suggest the climate should be getting cooler rather than warmer, as since records began in the 1970s, the Earth has been receiving progressively less radiation while temperatures have (mostly) risen.
• It can be shown by isotopic analysis of atmospheric carbon that the source of the measured (and uncontroversial) increase in carbon dioxide is due to the combustion of fossil fuels

I'm a sucker for good unbiased research. So this is a book that could very well move me from a climate-change agnostic/skeptic to a believer.

Plenty more will be in the upcoming book, so check it out. Quotes and information from a Randomhouse press release.